Government primary school teachers have announced a work stoppage from Sunday after a police crackdown on protesters demanding 10th-grade pay. Mohammad Abul Kashem, president of the Bangladesh Primary Teachers’ Association (Kashem-Shahin), announced a continuous sit-in and work stoppage at the Central Shaheed Minar on Saturday evening. The work stoppage is being conducted under the banner of the Primary Teachers’ Demand Implementation Council, a coalition of four teacher organisations: Primary Teachers’ 10th Grade Implementation Council, Bangladesh Primary Teachers’ Association (Kashem-Shahin), Bangladesh Primary School Assistant Teachers’ Association and Bangladesh Primary Teachers’ Association (Shahin-Lipi). Earlier, on Apr 24, the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education upgraded head teachers’ pay from 11th to 10th grade and teachers with 13th-grade pay to 12th grade, but assistant teachers remain dissatisfied. Separately, assistant teachers under the Primary Assistant Teachers’ Unity Council issued a Nov 15 deadline for government action on 11th-grade pay, promotion complications, and 100 percent divisional promotion.
